KALITTA BRINGS CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE — AND A PERFECT FINAL-ROUND RECORD — TO ROUTE 66
Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster Driver Sits Second in Points as Team Kalitta Locks Up Both Pro Standings
JOLIET, Ill. — Doug Kalitta heads to Route 66 Raceway this weekend with a track record that speaks for itself: three wins in Joliet, and not a single final-round loss. The two-time and defending NHRA Top Fuel champion arrives second in the championship standings, one spot behind teammate Shawn Langdon, as Kalitta Motorsports extends its grip on the 2025 season.
The 1-2 positioning of Kalitta and Langdon in Top Fuel — combined with J.R. Todd’s lead in Funny Car — gives Team Kalitta something rare in professional drag racing: simultaneous control of both pro category standings. The consistency that produced that standing has been on full display all season. Through five events, at least one Kalitta dragster has appeared in every round of Top Fuel competition, with the lone exception being the Pomona final — which was itself an all-Kalitta affair, Langdon edging Kalitta for the win.
Kalitta’s own season résumé through five races reads: one win, two runner-up finishes, and two semifinals. It’s a body of work that keeps him squarely in title contention, even as he freely acknowledges that Langdon and crew chief Brian Husen have set a blistering pace with a pair of record-setting runs topping 345 mph.
The historical stakes for Kalitta at Route 66 are significant. His 60 career victories place him fourth all-time in Top Fuel wins and 12th overall in NHRA history. His 67 No. 1 qualifiers tie him with Kenny Bernstein for seventh all-time. He is seventh all-time in round wins. A win this weekend — at a track where he has never lost a final — would further cement a legacy that already includes two Top Fuel championships (2023 and 2025) and induction into the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
“Before the first race, Alan told me we’d have to run really hard to keep up with Shawn and Brian, so that set the stage for our mentality. Mr. 345 is over there with some incredible runs. I don’t know what they’re doing over there with Shawn’s car, but it’s very impressive. We’re definitely gonna have to work hard to outrun Shawn because he’s definitely running well.”
“The rest of these cats are all just as good. It’s definitely gonna be one of those years. Justin is rippin’ off whatever his reaction times are, and we’re all trying to keep up with him so it’s going to be competitive. It’ll be a lot of fun.”
“With our deal, I have to give the credit to Connie and Chad — those two are really the key. Chad is working with the crew chiefs on whatever he needs to do to support the efforts of the guys we put in charge of these teams and trying to make sure the chemistry is good. If you know Chad, he’s a detail guy; he’s always on the phone making deals and making something happen. I give a lot of credit to Chad for sure.”
“The Mac Tools guys are putting the thing together the same every time so it’s repeatable for what they’re trying to do tuning this thing. Really, it’s a helluva team effort. Alan is very focused; he and Mac have a handle on this thing. I’m just incredibly fortunate Alan’s my guy.”
— Doug Kalitta
CAREER AT A GLANCE
Two-time NHRA Top Fuel World Champion (2023, 2025) | Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame
631 events entered | 60 wins (4th all-time in Top Fuel) | 69 runner-up finishes
852 round wins (7th all-time) | 67 No. 1 qualifiers (tied 7th all-time with Kenny Bernstein)
Current points standing: 2nd
Note: Kalitta has three wins at Route 66 Raceway and is undefeated in final rounds there. He also holds four No. 1 qualifiers at the track, most recently in 2024.
Photo courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports
For Doug Kalitta’s 2025 race-by-race results, visit teamkalitta.com/doug-kalitta-mac-tools-top-fuel-dragster/
